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Michael Bisping believes a trilogy bout between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier would do well over a million pay-per-view buys.
Despite Jon Jones’ narrow victory over Thiago Santos at UFC 239, which saw ‘Bones’ retain his light heavyweight title in what was arguably his most unconvincing title defense to date, fans aren’t clamouring to see a rematch between the two light heavyweights.
Instead, the fight on everyone’s lips is Jones vs. Cormier III, at heavyweight. Jones has beat Cormier twice at light heavyweight, with the latter win (KO) at UFC 214 being overturned to a No Contest (NC) after ‘Bones’ tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs).
Speaking on a recent episode of Believe You Me, podcast host Michael Bisping predicted a heavyweight trilogy bout between Jones and Cormier would do well over a million pay-per-view buys and believes the UFC would be foolish not to book it.
“But the fight that everyone wants to see, that I want to see….is Jones vs. DC III at heavyweight, no picograms, no steroids, two of the best going at it mano y mano,” Bisping said, per MMA News’ Clyde Aidoo.
“DC also went up to heavyweight and fought tremendous. He knocked out Stipe in one round, beat Derrick Lewis in, I think it was one round. It might have been the second. I’m not sure, but he took him down and tapped him out pretty easily. So DC’s looked incredible at heavyweight. Plus, he was the heavyweight Strikeforce champion back in the day, so he’s undefeated at heavyweight. Yeah, let’s see that at heavyweight. That’s the fight everybody wants to see.
“But the biggest fight that everyone could see, that would do well over a million pay per view buys…well over…and if they make the right offer, yeah, that’s a huge fight. Massive. One of the biggest fights the UFC could put on right now. So I, for one, I would love to see that.”
Cormier, the reigning heavyweight champ, is scheduled to take on Stipe Miocic in a championship rematch at UFC 241 and, if successful, the obvious fight to make is Jones vs. Cormier III.
UFC 241, which features Cormier vs. Miocic as the main event, takes place next month, August 17 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.